Abstract
We observed cannibalism, the act of consuming a conspecific, of eggs and nestlings by Common Ravens (Corvus corax; hereafter “raven”) by video-monitoring nests in Nevada and California. Specifically, within the sagebrush steppe of Nevada, adult ravens killed and consumed raven chicks from an active nest. Additionally, on the coast of California, we observed adult ravens consume inviable eggs from their own nest following full-term incubation. To our knowledge, these observations represent the first documented cannibalistic behavior by ravens.
Usando cámaras de monitoreo que instalamos en nidos de Nevada y California, observamos canibalismo, el acto de consumir huevos y polluelos de miembros de la misma especie (conspecíficos) del cuervo común (Corvus corax; en adelante, “cuervo”). Específicamente, en la estepa de artemisa de Nevada, los cuervos adultos mataron e ingirieron a los polluelos de un nido activo. De la misma manera, en la costa de California, observamos cuervos adultos consumiendo huevos no viables de su propio nido, luego de un período completo de incubación. Hasta donde sabemos, estas observaciones representan el primer comportamiento caníbal documentado de cuervos.
Recommended Citation
Atkinson, Joseph L.; Coates, Peter S.; Brussee, Brianne E.; and Delehanty, David J.
(2020)
"First recorded observations of conspecific egg and nestling consumption in Common Ravens (Corvus corax),"
Western North American Naturalist: Vol. 80:
No.
2, Article 11.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol80/iss2/11
Adult Common Raven attacking chick in nest—Virginia Mountains, 13:51 PDT 7 June 2009.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 2.mp4 (60664 kB)
Adult Common Raven consuming chick in nest—Virginia Mountains, 18:06 PDT 7 June 2009.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 3.mp4 (8339 kB)
Adult Common Raven removing chick carcass from nest—Virginia Mountains, 20:19 PDT 7 June 2009.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 4.mp4 (1331 kB)
Adult Common Raven flipping carcass over and departing from nest—Virginia Mountains, 13:20 PDT 8 June 2009.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 5.mp4 (30859 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 9:51 PDT 28 April 2011.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 6.mp4 (16038 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 8:59 PDT 30 April 2011 (Part 1 of 2).
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 7.mp4 (5709 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 9:25 PDT 30 April 2011 (Part 2 of 2).
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 8.mp4 (21591 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 11:10 PDT 1 May 2011.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 9.mp4 (32572 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 11:42 PDT 19 April 2014.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 10.mp4 (26258 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 11:28 PDT 20 April 2014.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 11.mp4 (26800 kB)
Common Raven consuming egg in nest—Alcatraz Island, 10:32 PDT 23 April 2014.
80.2.11 Supplementary Material 12.mp4 (2858 kB)
Common Raven taking intact egg from nest—Alcatraz Island, 17:38 PDT 7 May 2014.